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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/29591607">For a Moment</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/anncatherine/pseuds/anncatherine'>anncatherine</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>The Vampire Diaries (TV)</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>100 Years, Angst, Songfic, and it’s nothing brutal, at least if you’re not a vampire, because what’s a fic without angst?, by Five for Fighting, it’s not even really shown, just a little, the death is at the end because death is a part of life, the teen rating is for a swear word</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>Completed</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2021-02-20</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2021-02-20</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-16 01:13:38</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>Teen And Up Audiences</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>Major Character Death</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>1</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>9,833</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/29591607</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/anncatherine/pseuds/anncatherine</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>This is basically just a TVD AU where Elena and Caroline are vampires and Bonnie’s human and they’re just growing up. It is a songfic to “100 years” by Five for Fighting.</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Relationships:</b></td><td>Bonnie Bennett &amp; Caroline Forbes, Bonnie Bennett &amp; Caroline Forbes &amp; Elena Gilbert, Bonnie Bennett &amp; Elena Gilbert, Bonnie Bennett/Jeremy Gilbert, Caroline Forbes/Klaus Mikaelson, Caroline Forbes/Stefan Salvatore, Elena Gilbert/Damon Salvatore</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Comments:</b></td><td>2</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>7</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>For a Moment</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
      <p>Vampire Diaries AUish/super canon divergent seasons 7 and 8 didn’t happen, cause I didn’t watch those seasons. I also didn’t watch The Originals or Legacies, so none of that either. Elena didn’t take the cure, and she wasn’t put in a magical coma, but she did get her memories back idk how, but she did, the how is not important to the story. Damon and Bonnie made it back from the other side before it was destroyed, but they’re still besties because I love their frendship. Kai Parker is still in his prison world, Jo and Alaric’s wedding went on without a hitch. Bonnie-centric. Title and lyrics from Five for Fighting’s “100 years”.</p>
    </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>First and foremost, I don’t own any of the characters, TVD, or the song lyrics.</p><p>
  <i>I’m fifteen for a moment, caught in between ten and twenty and I’m just dreaming, counting the ways to where you are.</i>
</p><p>Elena’s sixteenth birthday party was one of the best days of Bonnie’s life thus far. It was technically a back to school party hosted by the Gilberts, but Bonnie and Caroline were calling it Elena’s birthday party since she hadn’t had one earlier. Elena’s parents hosted a large party that almost everyone from their grade and Jeremy’s grade attended. Even some upperclassmen showed up; Elena was very popular, being on the cheerleading team and dating the new up and coming quarterback, Matt Donovan. </p><p>It was a fun night with music, food, and dancing, but the best part was after everyone had left and Bonnie, Caroline, and Elena decided to have a girls’ night. At Caroline’s request, they watched The Notebook, all snuggled together on Elena’s couch, passing popcorn and m&amp;ms to each other.</p><p>Elena was the first of the three of them to turn sixteen, something both Bonnie and Caroline were jealous of since it meant Elena could drive that much sooner than they could. On the bright side, at least they could tease her about being ancient, one of Bonnie’s favorite jokes as Caroline and Elena thought it was hilarious to call her a fetus because she is the youngest of the group. </p><p>“You know, I was thinking,” Elena mused about halfway through the movie, “We only have three years before we go to college.”</p><p>“And you only have two more years of childhood,” Bonnie added as Caroline tried to shush them both, eyes glued to the screen in front of her as she mouthed the words. </p><p>“Oh, shush yourself, Caroline,” Elena laughed, throwing a popcorn kernel at the blonde. Caroline, in turn, chucked a pillow at Elena. </p><p>Before an all-out war could break out, Bonnie, who was situated between the two, put an arm around each and pulled them into a hug, “We should all go off to college together, and share a dorm.”</p><p>“We could go to Whitmore,” Elena snuggles into Bonnie’s side, “that way we would be close enough to home without being too close. And we could all take your Gram’s class.”</p><p>Caroline finally turned her attention away from the movie to smile at both of them, “I could decorate our dorm and plan our social schedules.”</p><p>“It’s a plan,” Bonnie squeezed them tighter to her.</p><p>“As long as Elena doesn’t marry Matt as soon as they’re out of high school,” Caroline teases as Elena grimaces. </p><p>“Relax, me and Matt are just testing the waters. No one’s buying any rings.”</p><p>“Yet.”</p><p>“Oh my God, Caroline, I’m sixteen!”</p><p>Later that morning, Miranda Gilbert finds all three fast asleep in what could only be described as a dog pile, all with content smiles across their youthful faces. </p><p>
  <i>I’m twenty-two for a moment, and she feels better than ever, and we’re on fire, making our way back from Mars.</i>
</p><p>In the next couple years, everything falls apart for Bonnie, Caroline, and Elena. It starts when the Gilberts’ car goes off Wickery Bridge, killing Miranda and Greyson. Then the Salvatores blow into town like a storm, and the world goes to hell in a handbasket.</p><p>Then, as sudden as it starts, it all stops. But the horrors of the last few years take away the world’s shiny luster for the trio. They eventually do all end up at Whitmore, all sharing a dorm, but the picture they make is nothing like they ever imagined. Caroline and Elena are both dead, eternally 17 and 18, respectfully. Bonnie has been killed and resurrected so many times she doesn’t even know how old she physically is probably somewhere in her early twenties, but whatever her actual age she feels about ten times that. She knows she is aging though, she’s seen the signs in the mirror. She has grown into herself and lost whatever was left of her baby face. She now looks noticeably older than both Elena and Caroline.</p><p>Still, college is some of the best years of their lives. Elena and Damon are still going steady, Caroline and Stefan finally move past silently pining for each other across the room, and Jeremy and Bonnie start rekindling their relationship. Caroline joins a sorority, and finds she has a passion and talent for journalism. Elena excels in her pre-med program, she says she likes the idea of saving lives rather than taking them, like many of her nature do. It also gives her easy access to the hospital blood banks, but that’s just an added bonus. Bonnie still doesn’t know exactly what profession she wants to go into, but for now is headed down the path of educator, like her Grams. She finds it slightly ironic that the two of the trio with all the time in the world are the ones who have actual plans.</p><p>Caroline drags Elena and Bonnie to several parties and dances. Bonnie does her best to ignore the blood splatters she sees on the others' dresses. Bonnie hasn’t done any serious magic since she left Mystic Falls. </p><p>The day of their graduation is a beautiful spring day in May. All three girls pose in caps and gowns, their boyfriends proudly snapping photos. Her smile falters for a second when she realizes she is the only one of the three of them with a parent in the audience that day, and it’s her dead, technically not dead absent mother.  </p><p>
  <i>Fifteen there’s still time for you, time to buy and time to lose.</i>
</p><p>After college, Bonnie doesn’t really know what to do with herself. She doesn’t want to go back to Mystic Falls, but she’s never known anywhere else. Suddenly, throwing darts at a map is sounding very logical. </p><p>In the end, she decides to head south to Arizona where Jeremy is finishing up his art degree. No matter what anyone says, she did not move to Arizona for Jeremy. Yes, it is nice to have someone she knows well in her new location, and even nicer that he is a good kisser, but she moves there for herself. She needed a change of scenery, and Arizona is vastly different from Mystic Falls. </p><p>Although she doesn’t voice it aloud, she also had to get away from Elena and Caroline for a while. She will still talk to them over the phone and text them, she still loves them. It’s just every year it gets harder for her to look at them and think that they won’t get to grow up with her like they all thought they would years ago. She’ll even facetime them because over the small, glitching screen it’s easier to ignore their unchanging faces and bodies.</p><p> Bonnie gets a job as a kindergarten teacher and takes classes online to earn her masters. Ironically, she now finds it strange to live in a reality where her life and the lives of her friends are not threatened on the daily. A younger version of herself would have called it boring, but now she finds it relaxing. She is still a little paranoid, despite being over 2,000 miles away from her hometown. Jeremy likes to tease her about the vervain air freshener in her classroom, but he has no room to talk as he still cooks vervain into his food every meal.</p><p>One thing Bonnie learns from this moving across the country experience is without Caroline, she is a very disorderly and slow unpacker. She only unpacks boxes as she needs the items in them, and five months into her life in her new apartment she still has a pile of boxes left to unpack. They probably would have stayed there collecting dust longer if she wasn’t hosting a little cocktail party for all of her coworkers. She doesn’t want to look like a complete mess, so she calls Jeremy over to help her sort through them.</p><p>The last box she opens is full of shoeboxes of pictures. While Bonnie generally isn’t a very organized person, with photos she has a focus that Caroline would be jealous of. Each shoebox is labeled for each year the pictures are from, and on the back of most pictures is the date and a description of what was happening around the time the photo was taken in her meticulous handwriting. The habit started when Bonnie was in fourth grade and went through a serious scrapbooking phase and printed out and organized all pictures with her in them. She kept it up even as she dropped scrapbooking. </p><p>Most of the shoeboxes she places under her bed without opening them, but she pauses on the one labeled ‘freshman year’. She can’t stop herself from opening it. If she wasn’t chalk full of vervain, she would’ve assumed she was compelled. </p><p>Right on top is a picture of her, Caroline, Elena, Matt, and Tyler on their first day of high school, arms wrapped around each other, grins splitting their faces. Bonnie, Caroline, and Elena are proudly sporting the Timberwolves’ cheerleading outfit. It was taken by her Grams after she dropped the girls off and they badgered the boys into taking a picture with them. Actually, Bonnie remembers with a laugh, all it took was a slight pout from Elena and Matt agreed heartily, dragging Tyler along with him. </p><p>The next picture she pulls out is from one of her, Caroline and Elena’s many sleepovers. It was clearly taken late into the night, they’re all in pajama sets with newly polished nails. The Bonnie in the picture has her head in Caroline’s lap and feet in Elena’s face, a bowl of popcorn and candy balanced on her stomach. She doesn’t know who took the photo, but guesses it’s one of Elena’s parents since the girls are lounging on the Gilberts’ couch. Looking at the picture hurts something deep in Bonnie’s chest, she wishes Caroline and Elena were still a five minute’s drive away, but now they’re not even in the same state. Bonnie quickly puts that picture down and picks up the next one.</p><p>This photo is of her, Elena, and Jeremy at the Gilberts’ lake house. Bonnie and Elena are pictured standing on the dock, laughing, and Jeremy looks to be sputtering in the lake behind them. Bonnie doesn’t even need to read the back to know that she and Elena had just pushed Jeremy into the lake. </p><p>“I remember that weekend,” Jeremy says from behind her, causing her to jump. She forgot he was in the room with her. “Wasn’t that right after Matt and Elena’s first date?” </p><p>“Yeah, it was. She was up giggling about it all night. I remember Matt had just gotten his truck and the first thing he did was ask Elena out.” </p><p>“Fun fact, Dad was going to ask Matt if he wanted to come to the lake with us, but after he heard he was dating Elena he quickly changed his mind. He even tried to talk her out of going on the date at all,” Jeremy sits criss cross applesauce next to her. </p><p>“What?” Bonnie exclaims. Jeremy just nods, so Bonnie continues, “You’re dad didn’t approve of Matt? But he’s so sweet!” </p><p>“Yeah, well, it didn’t matter how sweet the guy was, he was dating Dad’s little girl,” He pauses for a second, pulling out a picture Bonnie took of Matt and Elena, “Sometimes, when I need a laugh, I imagine what his reaction would be if he saw Elena bring home Damon.” </p><p>Bonnie snorts, imagining the scene and says, “I have a feeling it would end with either a snapped neck or a staked Damon.”</p><p>Bonnie turns to face Jeremy and cups his cheek with her hand, “I think my dad approved of you. Not visibly at first because you know, he had to intimidate his daughter’s first boyfriend, but he liked you.”</p><p>“Yes, of course, he liked the stoner dead end drunk who had to compel himself a high school diploma,” Jeremy quips, kissing her nose. </p><p>Bonnie rolls her eyes, “There were extenuating circumstances,” </p><p>“Excuses, excuses. Anyway, I’m going to break down and tape up the boxes while you finish in here, okay?” she nods, and he plants a kiss on her lips before leaving the room.</p><p>She looks down at the picture box one more time, placing all of the pictures back in. Before closing it, she takes one moment to mourn the life she could have had, happy and normal. Then, she slams the lid on and pushes the box deep under her bed with the others.       </p><p>
  <i>Fifteen there’s never a wish better than this when you only got a hundred years to live. </i>
</p><p>Bonnie’s ten year high school reunion letter arrives at her and Jeremy’s shared apartment in Arizona on a warm January morning. It brings a smile to her face when she sees Caroline has taken over organization of the whole event. She RSVP’s yes in a heartbeat. </p><p>That March, she’s on a plane to Mystic Falls, Virginia for the first time in five years. Jeremy sits next to her, clutching her hand. They got a few weird looks at security, but thankfully they got through with their stakes disguised as candle holders and little perfume bottles of vervain. </p><p>After getting off the plane and making their way toward the baggage carousels, they were greeted by Damon, Stefan, Elena, and Caroline, all dressed in black suits, dark sunglasses, and serious expressions. Damon held a sign decorated in giant, glittery bubble letters reading ‘Bon Bon and Little Gilbert’. Somehow, probably through compulsion, they also had their checked bags waiting for them. </p><p>It’s been almost four month since Bonnie’s seen any of them in person, so she can’t stop herself from dropping her carry-on, running at them and pulling Caroline and Elena into a group hug. Their stoic facades crack, and all three girls are laughing and squeezing each other so tight, Bonnie swears she hears Caroline’s rib crack.</p><p>Sometime during their squealing, Jeremy comes up to them with his and Bonnie’s bags, and Elena extracts herself from her friends to hug her brother. Bonnie turns and throws her arms around Damon’s neck, because as much as she used to despise him, he is now one of her best friends, after Caroline and Elena, of course. </p><p>“I missed you too, Bon Bon,” he says, “but you're ruining my sign.” </p><p>She pulls away and sees a mix of glue and glitter smashed on her shirt. “You didn’t even wait for it to dry?” she complains. </p><p>“Don’t blame me, I just wrote it in sharpie. Caroline and Elena were the ones who insisted on adding the glitter.”</p><p>“What if I was wearing my favorite shirt?”</p><p>“One, why would you wear your favorite shirt on a disgusting airplane? Two, you shouldn’t’ve smashed your shirt all over the sign we spend so long making.” </p><p>“Stop bickering you two. You don’t hate each other anymore, remember?” Caroline says as she steps between Bonnie and Damon. </p><p>Somehow, all six get situated into a limo that drives them from the airport to the Salvatore boarding house, where they would be staying.</p><p>The next day was the reunion. There was a lunch and a little party at the Lockwood mansion for a couple hours. Bonnie, Caroline, and Elena decide to get ready together, just like old times. Elena forces Damon out of his room so they can use his luxurious bathroom. When they were in high school and college, Bonnie would do hair, Elena would do make-up, and Caroline would pick out their outfits, add accessories, and touch up hair and make-up. By their senior year of high school, they had this system down to a science. </p><p>Bonnie was in the middle of pinning up her own hair when she heard Elena call her over form where she was doing Caroline’s make-up.</p><p>Once she turned her attention to them, Elena said, “I’d say we look about twenty-eight, right?” </p><p>As Bonnie took in their visages, she was very impressed. Elena had contoured away some of the youth of her and Caroline’s baby faces, and accentuated the little age that they had. She had used dark colors to make them look more mature. Looking at them, Bonnie thought it was very plausible that they were in their late twenties. </p><p>“You’ve gotten good at that, Elena,” she compliments.</p><p>“Thanks, it took lots of practice. Luckily Stefan and Damon both look old enough to be anywhere between early twenties to thirties because I don’t know if I could do men’s faces as well and I also don’t think Damon would be too thrilled to wear make-up,” she laughs. </p><p>“It’s kinda funny that as I use make-up to make myself look younger, you two will use make-up to make yourselves look older,” Bonnie says without thinking. Suddenly, the happy atmosphere dims a bit. It seems all three of them forgot their predicament.</p><p>Caroline claps her hands to break the silence, “Well, if you’re both ready, I have outfits picked out for you.” she rushes out of the bathroom to get them. </p><p>Elena looks at Bonnie sadly before turning to put away her make-up and brushes. Before either of them can say anything, Caroline is back with a whole rack of clothes and is having them try on everything and anything. Soon, the somber mood is forgotten.</p><p>They roll up to the reunion a couple minutes late in a stretch limo, as per Caroline’s plan. Sometimes Bonnie wants to laugh at how utterly dramatic all of her friends are. Just as Caroline hoped, their ride catches the attention of everyone in attendance. The boys step out and help their dates out of the car while Bonnie’s former classmates try not to stare. </p><p>Caroline gracefully sweeps up to Tyler who is standing next to a pretty young blonde, his new girlfriend. He must have a type. Caroline shakes the blonde’s hand and gives Tyler a quick hug before moving on to the registration table, where she finds her and Stefan’s name tags and sticks them on. Elena and Damon follow behind them, and then Bonnie and Jeremy. </p><p>“Bonnie, Jeremy, nice to see you,” Tyler greets with a friendly nod. They both nod back and Jeremy shakes his hand and smiles at the blonde. Together, they find Bonnie’s name tag, write one for Jeremy, and walk into the party. </p><p>It’s very strange for Bonnie to see how much everyone has changed in these past ten years. Her bio partner from freshman year has already been divorced once. One of Jeremy’s old stoner buddies pulled himself together and is now married with a child. The valedictorian went to Yale and works at some huge law firm in New York. The mean girl is now some fancy model who travels around the world for shoots and was perfectly cordial with everyone.</p><p>Matt shows up a little later, his heavily pregnant wife, a pretty brunette named Maya, on his arm. Bonnie doesn't know her that well, but she knows Matt married her pretty much right out of college and she’s about two months away from giving birth to their second child. Matt kisses Bonnie’s cheek and gives Jeremy a bro-hug. They chat for a while about Bonnie’s kindergarten class, Matt’s teaching job at the high school, Maya’s nursing job, and Jeremy’s art career. Matt shows them pictures of Victoria, his two-year-old daughter and an ultrasound picture of his second child. </p><p>After he wanders off to talk to some of his old football buddies, Bonnie turns to Jeremy, “All these people out and doing things with their lives make me feel stuck.” </p><p>“What do you mean? You’re doing something with your life.”</p><p>“Yeah, nothing important.”</p><p>“I’d say educating the next generation is very important, but to each your own, I guess.”</p><p>“Jeremy. You know what I mean.”</p><p>“Yeah I do,” he sighs, and glances around at her former classmates, “We’re just each moving at our own paces. I mean, Yazmin Lauper has been married and divorced and has two children, but Brad Trent is still wearing his letterman jacket. And Taylor Reich is a lawyer, but Valery Katch is drunk off her ass at noon. I’d say we’re doing just fine,” Bonnie laughs and he continues, “and look at Elena and Damon, sure, Elena’s been through med school, but she’s not doing anything with her degree. She’s traipsing through Europe, sipping fine wine and sleeping til one p.m.”</p><p>Bonnie’s mood drops lower at his last statement, “That’s cause she and Damon have all the time in the world to waste. They’ll be young and beautiful forever. They could wander the world for years and then become a rocket scientist, go to the moon, get a law degree, go off the rails in a crisis for years, or decades, who knows and they technically won’t be wasting any time because they have forever. I don’t have that luxury. I only have a set amount of time.”</p><p>“Hey, hey, Bonnie, look at me,” Jeremy places his hands on either side of her face, “You’re right, we only have a set amount of time. And I’m so glad. We only have so much time to live and that makes every moment matter more. And because we only have so long, do what you want to do. Damn everyone else. Okay? It doesn’t matter where they are, or what stage of life they’re on as long as you’re happy. You’re happy right?” </p><p>She smiles at him and nods as he brushes a tear from her cheek. </p><p>“I love you, Jeremy.”</p><p>“I love you too.”</p><p>
  <i>I’m thirty-three for a moment, still the man, but you see I’m a“they”, a kid on the way, babe, a family on my mind.</i>
</p><p>Jeremy proposes to Bonnie when she’s twenty-nine. She officially becomes Bonnie Gilbert a year later. It is the happiest day of her life. Elena and Caroline were co-maids of honor because Bonnie couldn’t choose. They have to wear heavy make-up to pass for around the age they’re supposed to be, but they still get questions about their skin routine from old high school and college friends.</p><p>They buy a new apartment a little closer to home, but still far away from Mystic Falls and are very careful about how they let people into their home. They still never say the words “come in” to anyone other than Elena, Caroline, and the Salvatores. They decide to start growing vervain and wolfsbane. Bonnie doesn’t practice magic on the regular, but she still knows the aneurism spell, just in case. Jeremy still keeps stakes hidden around the house and their car. She wonders if they’ll ever feel safe enough to let their guard down even just a little. </p><p>She gets a job working as a teacher at a nearby elementary school. Jeremy works as a freelance artist. Eventually he also becomes the art teacher at the school Bonnie teaches at. </p><p>Two years later and she’s standing next to Elena in a drug store bathroom with a pregnancy test in hand. She just couldn’t wait until she got home. She and Jeremy go back and forth about the idea of kids, both scared to raise children in a world like theirs, but when she sees two bright pink lines, joy fills her chest. She’s so happy she misses the flicker of sadness in Elena’s eyes before she wraps her in a tight hug, squealing about how she’ll be an aunt. </p><p>Jeremy’s reaction is priceless, and Bonnie is eternally grateful she got it on camera. His eyes go wide and his mouth falls open. Then, as if finally processing what she says, he swoops her up  and sings her in a circle. Bonnie can’t stop laughing. </p><p>Caroline and Stefen both give her warm smiles, promising to protect the baby with everything they have. She doesn’t notice Caroline’s hand tightening around Stefen’s </p><p>One day when she’s five months along, sitting in her apartment with Elena, Bonnie asks her a question that she has been burning to know the answer to for a while, “Why didn’t you take the cure?”</p><p>Bonnie knows how much Elena wants to be human. She sees the jealousy in Elena’s eyes as she stares at Bonnie’s baby bump when she thinks no one is watching her. She knows how badly Elena wants to live a normal human life, but yet, when Damon offered her the cure, even offered to take it with her, Elena adamantly refused.  </p><p>Elena looks up from her tea and sighs, “It just wasn’t an option for me anymore, Bonnie.”</p><p>“What do you mean? I thought you wanted to be human again more than anything?”</p><p>“I spent a long time thinking about it. When he gave it to me, I really wanted to take it. I still do. But there are just so many reasons why I can’t,” Bonnie sat patiently and waited for her to continue, “For one, it would be incredibly selfish. There were others that wanted it or needed it or deserved it more than me. Like your mom. I know she turned it down, but there are probably other vampires like her, innocent people who were just at the wrong place at the wrong time. And vampires like Stefan, who need it. Rippers who can’t control their bloodlust. And Rebekah. I don’t know if she deserved it, she definitely didn’t need it, but she wanted it so bad. I don’t think it would be fair for me to take the one cure we have. What makes me so special?”</p><p>“Using that logic, it would be selfish for anyone to take it,” Elena just shrugged non committedly. “You have to have better reasons than that.”</p><p>Elena nodded, “I do. The second reason I didn’t take it was because it would be dangerous. For me, but especially Damon. Not only would we be vulnerable as humans, vampires who wanted the cure would be after us. If one succeeded in  sucking it out of Damon, he would turn into a century and a half old corpse. I couldn’t risk that.”</p><p>“We would have protected you. You have me, a witch, Jeremy, a vampire hunter, and, at the very least, two vampires on your side. We wouldn’t let anyone hurt you guys.”</p><p>Elena flashed Bonnie a half-hearted smile that didn’t reach her eyes, “The biggest reason I turned it down is because there is no going back, Bonnie. I have killed, I am a monster, there is no reversing that. I can’t go back to being innocent, pure, human Elena Gilbert. Besides, cure or no cure, I’m still the doppelganger, and maybe Klaus has gotten over his hybrid army idea, but doppelganger blood has been used for more than just Klaus’ curse. Every single one is in danger of being hunted, captured, and sacrificed. If I’m a vampire, I ensure my line ends with me. I can’t curse one of my descendants with my face.”</p><p>Bonnie looks at her sadly, “I’m so sorry, Elena.”</p><p>“It’s okay. I’ve made my peace with it,” suddenly, her thousand-watt smile is back in place, “I’ll just have to live vicariously through you and spoil my little niece rotten.”</p><p>Bonnie laughs and rubs her protruding stomach, “Fine by me.”</p><p>
  <i>I’m forty-five for a moment, the sea is high, and I’m heading into a crisis, chasing the years of my life.</i>
</p><p>The reality of Elena and Caroline’s situation doesn’t actually resonate with Bonnie until she’s forty-five. She understood the concept of eternal life and vampirism in theory, and struggled with the thought of Elena and Caroline not aging in the past, but each year it gets more and more apparent and this year, it just hits her like a truck. </p><p>Elena visits them after a year long excursion in Europe and Jeremy hugs his sister in greeting. Seeing them standing side by side, Jeremy looks like he could be Elena’s father. As her three kids, twelve-year-old Mira, eleven-year-old Luke, and little six-year-old Sheila (who likes to be called Lila), come running in to greet their aunt, she realizes Elena is physically only six years older than Mira. It sends a shockwave through her system.</p><p>“So, Elena, how was Europe?” Jeremey’s voice shakes her out of her thoughts. </p><p>“It was beautiful. I missed you guys though,” Elena says as she pulls Bonnie into a hug. </p><p>“Where’s Damon?” Lila’s little voice demands as she clings to Elena’s leg.</p><p>“He went to see Stefan first. Run something by him.” A huge smile spreads across Elena’s face.</p><p>Bonnie was immediately suspicious, “Run what exactly by him?”</p><p>If possible, Elena’s grin grew, “Damon and I were thinking of getting married, he wanted to make sure Stefan was okay with him giving me one of their grandmothers’ engagement rings.”</p><p>Bonnie practically shrieks, something she hasn’t done for years, and pulls Elena back into a hug. “It’s about time you make an honest man out of him. When’s the wedding?” </p><p>At the same time, her children jump up and down in excitement and Jeremy groans exaggeratedly, “I can’t believe I’m going to be related to Damon.”</p><p>Elena giggles into Bonnie’s shoulder, “As soon as possible. Damon wanted to just have the ceremony done at this little chapel in Italy, but I told him you and Caroline would stake us if we got married and didn’t invite you.”</p><p>“You’re darn right we would.” Caroline’s excited voice comes from the doorway, Stefan and Damon standing behind her.</p><p>“Wow, speak of the Devil and she shall appear,” Elena says as she opens her arms to accept Caroline’s hug, and then Stefan’s. Finally, Damon slips a diamond onto her finger before pulling her into a kiss.</p><p>“Hey, Salvatore! If you hurt her, I’ll soak a stake in vervain and shove it so far up your ass splinters get stuck in your teeth.” Jeremy calls. </p><p>“Jeremy Gilbert, watch your language.” Bonnie demands as she smacks his chest. Normally he’s better behaved, especially around their children, but something about the older Salvatore brings out his immaturity. </p><p>“Mama, what’s ass mean?” </p><p>Bonnie glares at her wide-eyed husband, “Look what you’ve done.” </p><p>
  <i>Fifteen, there’s still time for you.</i>
</p><p>Elena’s wedding is two months later. It was a very small ceremony, just Alaric, Jo and the twins, Stefan and Caroline, Bonnie, Jeremy, and their children, and for some reason, Elijah Mikaelson, whom Damon and Elena reconnected with during their travels and forged some semblance of friendship.</p><p>Stefan is Damon’s best man, and Bonnie and Caroline share maid-of-honor duties. </p><p>As Jeremy walks Elena down, there were several things Bonnie couldn’t help but notice. Once again, the apparent age difference between Elena and her younger brother was startling. Second, Elena looks stunning in her pristine white dress, but she is still an eighteen-year-old frozen in time. Her face still has the roundness of childhood, and while she carries herself with elegance and grace, her limbs are still the awkward length of a teenager not quite grown into her body. Finally, Bonnie notices Elena’s eyes. Since her parents’ car went off that bridge so many years ago, Elena’s eyes have always held pain and grief far too great for the eighteen-year-old she appears to be, but today, all Bonnie can see is insurmountable joy. </p><p>When Jeremy hands Elena to Damon, Bonnie recalls a time so long ago, back before Bonnie, Caroline, and Elena were exposed to the true horrors of their world. All cuddled on the couch together planning out their future. Back then, she could’ve sworn Matt would be at the end of the aisle Elena walked down on her wedding day. She was sure Greyson Gilbert would be the one giving away his daughter, and Miranda would be wiping away tears in the front pew. Elena would have a huge wedding that Caroline organised to perfection. Bonnie also would’ve bet her right hand that every single guest being a living, breathing human. The only things today that lined up with her original guess of Elena’s wedding is Elena’s thousand-watt smile and Bonnie and Caroline standing next to her as maids of honor. She’s glad that after all these years, after all the loss and pain and despair, that the three of them can still smile and laugh and find joy in life. </p><p>
  <i>Time to buy and time to lose yourself within a morning star.</i>
</p><p>Watching Damon twirl Elena around him in their first dance reminds Bonnie of the Miss Mystic Falls competition. It wasn’t a particularly fun day for any of them, with Stefan going all blood crazy, Jeremy learning about Damon’s compulsion, and Bonnie’s grief. At least the weather was nice. </p><p>Compared to the couple years that followed, though, their problems were relatively minor. Caroline and Elena were both still alive and human, and Caroline was blissfully unaware of any supernatural whatsoever. Back then, their biggest problem was a few tomb vampires, and death wasn’t a constant in their lives.</p><p>Bonnie often wishes she could go back to simpler times like that. Sometimes she wishes she could grab that Elena, Bonnie, and Caroline, the innocent, human seventeen-year-old girls who didn’t have to carry around stakes or drink vervain, and tell them to leave Mystic Falls while they still can. Get out and live the lives that they deserve away from all the pain and misery that is about to come to them. </p><p>Seventeen-year-old Bonnie didn’t really ask for much. She wanted to go to a good college with her best friends and get a degree and eventually an enjoyable, but well paying job. She wanted a loving husband and a couple children and lounging on beaches with Caroline and Elena. </p><p>She never wanted witches, vampires, and werewolves, hybrids and originals. She never wanted to watch everyone she ever loved die before she’s twenty. </p><p>
  <i>Fifteen, I’m alright with you.</i>
</p><p>Bonnie and Jeremy decide to go on an Alaskan cruise for their sixteenth wedding anniversary. They leave their kids with their four vampire friends and hope for the best. Damon teases her about personal growth, how years ago she wouldn’t even look at Stefan and now she’s entrusting him with her children. She thinks the real personal growth is how she didn’t give him aneurysm after aneurysm for that comment.</p><p>Standing next to her husband on the boat, holding his hand, feeling the ocean spray her face as they watched whales, Bonnie doesn’t think she’s ever felt more at peace. </p><p>“You know, when I was fifteen I had the biggest crush on you,” he tells her, not taking his eyes off the sunset in front of him. </p><p>She leans her head on his shoulder, “Oh I knew. You weren’t that secretive. Even Elena knew and that was when she was going through her Matt-loves-me-too-much drama. I’m pretty sure even Caroline knew, and while she is pretty observant, she only saw you like twice that year.”</p><p>She sees his cheeks tinge pink, “Well that’s embarrassing.”</p><p>“It’s embarrassing to like your wife?” Bonnie teases. </p><p>“It is when you’re fifteen and she’s your sister’s best friend and everyone knows it,” he whines, turning to look at her. </p><p>“It was kinda cute. You would laugh at my jokes even if they weren’t funny and you would compliment me all the time. It was nice.”</p><p>“Do you want a complement now?”</p><p>“Well I won’t beg for one.” </p><p>“You’re beautiful,” he kisses her cheek, “lovely,” her nose, “brilliant,” her forehead, “wonderful,” his lips finally land on hers and he kisses deeply like they did when they were teenagers. It was one of the best anniversaries Bonnie has ever had. </p><p>
  <i>Fifteen, there’s never a wish better than this when you only got a hundred years to live.</i>
</p><p>Mira’s first boyfriend is difficult for both Bonnie and Jeremy, but it hits Jeremy especially hard. Bonnie tries to remember what it was like when she was a teenager and her dad was being over protective over who she hung out with. She has to spend a lot of time telling Jeremy that Mira won’t be a child forever, she is fifteen now, and she has to be set free sometime. She reminds him that letting her go on one date isn’t losing her forever. It’s not like she’s getting married or anything. She also needs to physically restrain him from pulling his old vampire hunting weapons out of the attic, lest the young human boy that asked Mira out ends up with a stake through his chest. </p><p>As much as it saddens Bonnie that her daughter is growing up, she is happy to hear Mira squeal about her dates with Will. She adores seeing her daughter so happy and normal, watching her fall in love for the first time. Or at least she loves it until eight months into their relationship Mira comes home one day with tears welling up in her eyes, talking about how Will told her he was interested in a different girl. She really does have to hide Jeremy’s weapons that time. A part of her wants to go and teach that little punk a lesson herself, but instead she holds her daughter while she cries, stroking her hair like when she was a young child. </p><p>“It’s okay, Honey, you’ll be okay,” she soothes. </p><p>“No it’s not, Mom! How can it be okay? I loved him!” Mira exclaims.</p><p>In her head, she thinks No, Honey, you didn’t, but knows she can’t say that because Mira doesn’t understand yet. Instead, she says, “He may have been your first love, but he won’t be your last, Darling.” </p><p>“What if I never find anyone? What if I’ll never be pretty enough because there will always be people like freaking Thea Cassidy and boys will always like her better!” her cries break Bonnie’s heart. </p><p>“You are pretty enough, and this Will kid is an idiot if he doesn’t see it. You are gorgeous, smart, and so strong, and you will find someone who loves you the way you deserve. I know it.”</p><p>“You don’t understand, Mom. You already have Dad. You have your fairytale ending.”</p><p>“When I was your age I didn’t. When I was fifteen, I hadn’t even had a boyfriend yet. You’re still so young. You have your whole life ahead of you. This isn’t the end of the world; you’ll cry for a bit, but you’ll pick yourself up and be better than you were before.”</p><p>“How am I ever going to get married if I can’t even get one stupid guy to chose me?”</p><p>“Don’t let your father hear you talk of marriage, he won’t let you out of the house.”</p><p>“I’m serious, Mom. I want to find my soulmate and I wanted him to be Will.”</p><p>“Will doesn’t deserve you. You’re too good for him. The way you’ll know he’s your soulmate is you’ll choose each other, every time. Because there will be no other option,” Bonnie shifted their position so she was hugging Mira, “I promise you that the end of this relationship is not the end of your love life. You’ll be okay.”</p><p>Mira buried her face in Bonnie’s shoulder, “Thanks, Mom. I’m still gonna cry about it though.”</p><p>Bonnie rubbed her back and chuckled a bit, “That’s right, Mir, let it all out.” </p><p>
  <i>Half the time goes by, suddenly you’re wise. </i>
</p><p>Mira’s eighteenth birthday is a day she thinks she’ll remember forever, or at least her forever. Bonnie is fifty now, and she found her first grey hairs that morning in the mirror. Through the years, she had briefly considered slowing her aging process like many witches have, but decided against it. She doesn’t want to outlive Jeremy, and she certainly doesn’t want to outlive their children. Later that day, watching Elena and Caroline in their teenage bodies, Bonnie silently vows to wear her age proudly and recognize it for the gift it is. Besides, she hasn’t used magic in decades, and it is surprisingly freeing. She wants to live and die naturally. </p><p>At Mira’s party, she has to introduce Elena and Caroline as Mira’s cousins as they all look the same age. In fact, Bonnie realizes with a start, her daughter is now physically a year older than both Caroline and Stefan. She sees Jeremy’s eyes tear up a little as he watches Mira laugh with Elena, and she knows that he’s thinking how in just a year his daughter will officially outlive his big sister.</p><p>Her gaze next falls on her son, laughing with a friend Bonnie allowed him to invite so he wouldn’t feel lonely at his sister’s party. He’s sixteen now, the same age she was when the supernatural invaded her life. Watching his carefree innocence, she feels an awful sadness settle within her. She has often heard people reflecting on the hardships of their lives, concluding with a sentence about how they wouldn’t change a single thing. Bonnie thinks they’re all full of shit. She desperately wishes she and her best friends could have held onto that same naivety Luke possesses for a few years longer. She wishes they all grew up together, rather than two being stuck in limbo, borrowed blood pumping under their skin. With the sole exception of her family, she would give anything to go back and let sixteen-year-old Bonnie and her friends live in blissful ignorance of the creatures of the night for the rest of their natural lives. But she can’t change the past, so she keeps her eyes on the present and turns back to cut the cake for her beautiful birthday girl. </p><p>While that whole day is an emotional rollercoaster, Bonnie thinks mostly she feels grateful. She is so happy her daughter has grown up without the pain she and her friends had experienced by this age. She is also thankful that Mira, Luke, and Lila are uninvolved and practically unaware of the supernatural. All they know is their aunts and uncles are eternally youthful, and they have to keep it a secret. They don’t even know magic runs in their veins; Bonnie prays they never have to. </p><p>
  <i>Another blink of an eye, sixty-seven is gone. </i>
</p><p>The day of Alaric’s funeral is a somber one. Bonnie had never been extremely close with the man, but he was the closest thing Jeremy had to a father after Greyson died. The church was beautiful, but it was hard for Bonnie to watch Jo, bent over with age and grief, crying into the arms of one of her sons. Bonnie knew someday soon that would be her and held onto Jeremy a little tighter.</p><p>The arrival of Elena, Damon, Caroline, and, shockingly, Klaus Mikaelson holding Caroline’s hand, drove her away from her depressing thoughts. She hadn’t seen the vampires in a couple years, and Stefan’s absence gave her a pretty good guess why. He was probably off on another ripper binge. Or maybe he was just mad Caroline and Klaus were hooking up, but that seemed like a petty reason to skip a funeral. She didn’t know for sure because she had asked to be kept out of the loop of all vampire drama a few years back. She thought it was best for her and her family if she was blissfully unaware of all the supernatural craziness. She liked talking with her friends and pretending they were just normal people catching up. </p><p>The service was beautiful and there was a luncheon afterwards. One of Alaric’s children, Lizzie, if she remembers correctly, gave the eulogy. The vampires hovered in the back for most of it, trying to ensure they weren’t recognized from anyone from their past. </p><p>Eventually, Jeremy decides to go up and talk to them, Bonnie next to him, clinging to his hand. He skips past niceties and pulls a tearful Elena into a hug. Bonnie follows his example by wrapping her arms around a stoic-looking Damon.</p><p>After a while, Bonnie pulls away and Jeremy says, “It’s good to see you.”</p><p>Damon clears his throat, “Shame it wasn’t under better circumstances.”</p><p>They talk for a while, catching up on what has been happening in their lives. She notices neither party refers to the gaping hole Stefan’s absence leaves. Just as she and Jeremy are about to make their leave, an older woman comes up to the group and introduces herself as Alaric’s cousin, Malory Harvey. She then asks how they knew Alaric. She tells them she and Alaric were really close when they were young, but after Isobel died and he moved away, they lost contact. She wants to learn more about the person he was. </p><p>“I’m Jeremy Gilbert,” Bonnie’s husband starts, “Ric was like a father to me. He looked after me and my sister after our parents and aunt died. He was a great man.”</p><p>Bonnie speaks next, “I’m Jeremy’s wife, Bonnie. I was never particularly close with Alaric, but he was my history teacher in high school, and he saved Jeremy’s life. Jermey was deep in drugs and alcohol and Alaric helped pull him out and set him on the right path of life.”</p><p>“Damon,” Damon starts, eyes on the ground, “Ric was one of the only people who could put up with me. He was a really great friend.” When Elena rubs Damon’s arm in comfort, Malory expectantly turns her attention to her. </p><p>Bonnie watches Elena’s eyes widen in panic before Elena starts, “Elena Salvatore. Ric was like family to me. He um…” Bonnie sees her eyes dart to Jeremy and Bonnie, begging for help. </p><p>Bonnie takes mercy on her and quickly comes up with a story, remembering her line of thought watching Jeremy walk Elena down the aisle, “Just as Alaric treated Jeremy as his child, he treated Elena as his own, even though she isn’t blood related.”</p><p>Malory looks at Klaus and Caroline, but when it becomes apparent neither of them are going to say anything, she says to all of them, “Well, thank you so much. I feel so guilty I don’t know the man he was, but it sounds like he turned out wonderful,” then she turns to Bonnie and Jeremy, “You two have such a beautiful daughter, you three make a lovely family, I think it’s wonderful when people adopt,” and with that she walks off. </p><p>As soon as she’s out of hearing range, Damon turns toward Bonnie, “I can’t believe you told her Elena is your adopted daughter.”</p><p>“What else was I supposed to say? I didn’t want her to think Alaric was some creep hanging out with teenagers. Besides, it was implied but not outright said.”</p><p>“Still weird,” Damon mutters.</p><p>Elena’s phone makes a chirping noise from her pocket. She takes it out and looks at the notification, before whispering something in Caroline’s ear that Bonnie can’t make out. Then, she shares a look with Damon and his expression turns even stonier.</p><p>“Well, I think it’s time for us to make our exit,” Caroline says,“It was nice to see you two. Call if you ever need anything or just want to catch up,” she starts making her way towards the exit, pulling Klaus along with Damon following behind them. </p><p>Elena hugs both of them once more and says, “Sorry we couldn’t stay and talk longer. Duty calls,” she gestures at her phone, “I’ll talk to you later,” then, Bonnie sees a mischievous glint form in her eye, “Bye Mom, Dad,” Elena follows her companions out. Bonnie would be more frustrated if she didn’t see the hint of a smile on Elena’s face.</p><p>
  <i>The sun is getting high, we’re moving on. </i>
</p><p>Bonnie and Jeremy’s fiftieth wedding anniversary wasn’t a big affair. Sure, the week before their children took them to dinner in a stretch limo with all of their grandchildren, but the actual anniversary was very peaceful. </p><p>A month prior to the day, they received two plane tickets and a brochure for a small island in the Caribbean. Bonnie saw Elena’s thoughtfulness and Caroline’s meticulous planning written all over it. </p><p>So, for their fiftieth anniversary, Bonnie and Jeremy lay on a private beach, sipping pina coladas and watching the sunset. </p><p>Bonnie is eighty years old now. It amazes her to think when she was seventeen she wasn’t sure she was going to make it to twenty. Now, here she is, relaxing on a beach with her husband and the father of children, eight decades under her belt. She proudly wears the grey hair, wrinkles, scars, and stretch marks that show it. </p><p>When Bonnie was younger, in her forties and fifties, she was jealous of Caroline and Elena’s immortal beauty and youth, even if she never admitted it. Now, she feels sorry for them. Her body tells a story of a life well lived. It shows she’s lived through hard times, but she walked out the other side. She no longer has the perfect figure she did in her twenties, but instead she has three beautiful children. She has crows feet around her eyes from years of smiling. Her back is stooped and her hands are calloused, but she knows she has lived her life to the fullest.</p><p>Her creaking bones and sagging face show how short her life is. Her aging body shows her every choice means something because she doesn't have forever. All she has is right now. It could be the last day of her life. </p><p>Watching the sunset with the love of her life on the vacation her best friends sent her on, she can’t help but appreciate how beautiful her life is.  </p><p>
  <i>I’m ninety-nine for a moment and dying for just another moment, and I’m just dreaming, counting the ways to where you are.</i>
</p><p>Laying in her hospital bed, machines beeping all around her, Bonnie feels very at peace. Caroline and Elena are both sitting at one side, her children, grandchildren, and great-grandchildren on the other side. Jeremy passed a couple years ago, and Bonnie thinks she’s been ready to die since then, but now she knows it’s her time. It will only be a couple hours, she can feel it. As she lays there, dying, she thinks back through her life. It might be her life flashing before her eyes, or it might be her subconscious reminding her how wonderful, if sad, and scary, and painful, her life really was. </p><p>
  <i>Fifteen, there’s still time for you.</i>
</p><p>When she was fifteen, Bonnie was fearless. Like many teenagers, she felt invincible. It was at age fifteen that she went to her first high school party and had her first crappy, warm beer. That night, she also had her first kiss with a junior boy who told her she was pretty. It was awkward, Bonnie didn’t really know what to do. She was hot and sweaty and probably a little too drunk. </p><p>Looking back, she’s grateful Caroline dragged her away after just a couple minutes. She spent the rest of the night jumping around with Caroline and Elena before Caroline’s mom showed up to bust the party. Her friends and her ran through the backyard, all the way back to Bonnie’s house, where they were supposed to be having a sleepover. Once they climbed back through Bonnie’s window, luckily on the first floor, they all collapsed into a giggling pile of tipsy girls. Bonnie doesn’t remember exactly what they talked about that night, but she recalls falling asleep curled up between her best friends. It was the first in a series of parties they went to, high on youth. </p><p>It all came crashing to an end the night of the bonfire when Elena’s car went off the bridge, and they were all forced to grow up too quickly, but for the time being, they were young and reckless, just like fifteen-year-olds were supposed to be. </p><p>
  <i>Twenty-two, I feel her too.</i>
</p><p>At twenty-two, Bonnie was cautious. She was fresh out of college and about to run as far from Mystic Falls as possible. She packed up everything she deemed valuable into piles of boxes and sent her parade of vampire friends to work loading them into a UHaul for her. It turns out, while the vampires do have super strength and speed, all the efficiency they would have is cancelled out if they are also two immature brothers who keep trying to push each other down staircases and out windows and two sappy best friends who keep crying on each other and her. </p><p>Finally, she stood alone in the room she used to share with Elena in her, Caroline, and Elena’s apartment they moved into during their sophomore year of college. She heard the door creak open and turned to see Elena and Caroline standing in the doorway, both with red, teary eyes. </p><p>“No,” Bonnie said sternly, “No more crying.”</p><p>“I’m not crying,” Caroline said, though the voice crack in the middle said otherwise. </p><p>Instead of calling her out, Bonnie opened her arms and let Caroline and Elena rush into them. </p><p>“We’re just going to miss you so much,” Elena mumbled into her shoulder. Bonnie heard Caroline sniffle beside her. </p><p>They stayed like that for a while before Caroline pulled away and said, “Remember to always wear and invest vervain. I know you won’t be around Mystic Falls anymore, but it can’t hurt to be careful.”</p><p>“And never invite anyone in, no matter what,” Elena adds. </p><p>“I’ll be safe,” Bonnie promised, “Don’t worry. Don’t forget I’m a witch. I can take care of myself.” </p><p>After more tearful goodbyes and well-wishes, Bonnie climbed into her car and drove away, her mom following in the UHaul behind her. The farther she got from Mystic Falls, the freer she felt, but she knew it would be a long time before she ever felt truly safe. </p><p>
  <i>Thirty-three, you’re on your way.</i>
</p><p>When Bonnie was thirty-three, she was content. </p><p>Bonnie welcomed her first child into the world when she was thirty-three. After hours of screaming and pain, she finally heard the first cries of her daughter, and it was the most beautiful sound she would ever hear. She held her baby girl close until the doctors took her away to be cared for and bathed. Bonnie wanted to stay up until she was returned to her, but exhaustion overtook her and soon she was fast asleep.</p><p>When she woke up again, Jeremy was sitting in a chair across the room from her, holding their baby.</p><p>“What do you want to name her?” Bonnie croaked out, her voice tired and sore. They had talked names but never solidly decided anything. They thought maybe it would come to them once they met her. </p><p>Jeremy didn’t take his eyes off his daughter, “I was thinking Mira. After my mother, Miranda. If that’s okay?”</p><p>Bonnie smiled a little sadly, “That’s perfect.”</p><p>“What do you want her middle name to be?” </p><p>“Mira Elizabeth Gilbert,” Bonnie supplied. When Jeremy looked up at her questioningly, she said, “It doesn’t mean anything, I just think it sounds pretty,” </p><p>He smiled and turned his attention back to the baby, “I love you so much, Mira Elizabeth.” </p><p>Watching her husband kiss their daughter’s little red forehead was a surreal experience for Bonnie. She never thought she would live long enough to get to witness something like this. She never imagined she could ever feel that much love and happiness. </p><p>
  <i>Every day’s a new day.</i>
</p><p>Here lies Bonnie Gilbert, treasured friend, wife, mother, and grandmother. Her spirit lives on in the hearts of those who loved her. May she find peace. </p><p>At her grave, there were three letters. The first one read: </p><p>Bonnie,<br/>
Because we can’t say everything we want to say at your funeral, Caroline, Damon and I decided to write letters to you. So, here it goes. You were my best friend in the world. You were by my side from day one, always ready to jump head-first into whatever problem I had gotten myself into and fix it all up for me. You were my sister from another mister, even before it was legally acknowledged. You deserved the world and all the joy life had to offer, and I’m sorry I complicated that for you and for any pain I caused you throughout your life. If I could go back and take it all away, I would. I wish we could have had the life we wanted, back when we were ignorant, fearless teenagers. But we can’t and now you’re gone, and I don’t know what to do without you. My first instinct was always to call you when I’m sad, but now I can’t because I know you won’t answer. I promise you that I will always look after your family the way you always looked after me. I hope you find peace with your Grams and Jeremey, because after everything you’ve done and everything you have sacrificed for everyone else, you deserve all the peace in the world. Until we meet again.<br/>
All my love, Elena</p><p>The second:</p><p>Dear Bonnie,<br/>
I love you so much, and honestly I don’t know how we’re going to survive without you. You were always saving our butts, you know? It’s hard because you were always the most functional of the three of us, balancing out my and Elena’s crazy. Now, whenever I need guidance, I have to think, what would Bonnie do? I hate that I can’t just call and ask you anymore. I miss you everyday. I miss your voice and your laugh and your smile and I’m worried I’ll forget all of it in time. Forever is a long time to live without your best friend. You were the best best friend a girl, or vampire, could ask for. You gave us everything you had, always putting yourself last. I wish I learned to appreciate that more earlier in life. I selfishly wish that you were still here with us, that you would be with me forever. I know that’s not what you wanted, though. As sad as I am, I’m glad you got the human life you wanted, and I hope wherever you are, you’re happy now. I hope you know that I’ll always protect your family and try my best to keep them out of any supernatural or human danger. I’ll always love you.<br/>
Caroline</p><p>The third:</p><p>Bon Bon,<br/>
I’ve never been very poetic, or good with death or funerals. Ironic, considering, right? It’s also ironic that I’m actually really upset about this whole thing, taking into account the amount of times I threatened to murder you. Granted, those severely lessened as the years wore on, but still. You were probably my only real friend other than Alaric. I know I’m not an easy guy to get along with, so I thank you for putting up with me for so long. I’ll miss you. A lot.<br/>
Damon Salvatore</p><p>
  <i>Fifteen there’s still time for you, time to buy and time to choose. Fifteen, there’s never a wish better than this when you only got a hundred years to live. </i>
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  <i>~ “100 years” by Five for Fighting</i>
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  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>This is my first work so criticisms are very helpful and appreciated!</p></blockquote></div></div>
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